Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone

Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone The Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone (PBSL) is the country’s national medicines regulatory authority.

The Head of the Department of Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone, Dr Sahr E. Gbomor, was interviewed by EPIC/SLIK TV on Wedn...
02/07/2026

The Head of the Department of Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone, Dr Sahr E. Gbomor, was interviewed by EPIC/SLIK TV on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.

Pharmacy Board destroys five years’ worth of expired medical commodities in KenemaKenema, Eastern Province – June 4, 202...
27/06/2026

Pharmacy Board destroys five years’ worth of expired medical commodities in Kenema

Kenema, Eastern Province – June 4, 2026

The Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone has successfully conducted a major destruction exercise of expired and deteriorated health commodities in Kenema City, marking the first such activity in the district since 2021.

The exercise, carried out at the Kenema City Waste Management disposal site on June 4, 2026, involved the safe disposal of a large stockpile of medical commodities that had accumulated over a five-year period. The destroyed items were submitted by the Kenema District Health Management Team (DHMT) and included products that had either expired or were no longer fit for use.

Among the commodities destroyed were HIV medicines and testing kits, tuberculosis (TB) commodities, reproductive health and family planning supplies, gloves, syringes, and intravenous (IV) fluids.

The destruction exercise was supervised by officials of the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone and witnessed by a broad range of stakeholders to ensure transparency and compliance with established public health and environmental safety standards. Those present included representatives of the DHMT, district pharmacists, the district logistics information officer, the Sierra Leone Police, media practitioners, Health for All Coalition, Metro Politan officers, and Environmental Health Officers.

According to the Pharmacy Board, the exercise forms part of ongoing efforts to safeguard public health by preventing expired or deteriorated medical products from finding their way into circulation. Proper disposal of such commodities also helps to protect communities and the environment from potential health hazards associated with unsafe pharmaceutical waste.

Officials emphasized that regular destruction of expired medical commodities remains a critical component of effective pharmaceutical regulation and health commodity management, ensuring that only safe, effective, and quality-assured medicines and health products are available for public use.

The Pharmacy Board reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with district health authorities and partners across the country to promote responsible management, storage, and disposal of pharmaceutical products in line with national health regulations.

For more details:
Information and Communications Department
PBSL

🚨 PUBLIC HEALTH ALERTThe Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone has intercepted over 1,000 cartons of counterfeit Amoxicillin 50...
26/06/2026

🚨 PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT
The Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone has intercepted over 1,000 cartons of counterfeit Amoxicillin 500mg Capsules at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay, Freetown.

Batch No: 260233
Mfg. Date: 02/2026
Exp. Date: 02/2029

This product has NO registration, marketing authorisation, or import permit from the Board. Its safety and efficacy cannot be guaranteed.

⛔ DO NOT BUY. DO NOT USE.
Anyone with information on its sale or distribution should contact the Pharmacy Board immediately.

Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone | 26th June, 2026

Pharmacy Board intercepts over 1,000 cartons of unregistered Amoxicillin at Water Quay PortFREETOWN, 24 June 2026– More ...
25/06/2026

Pharmacy Board intercepts over 1,000 cartons of unregistered Amoxicillin at Water Quay Port

FREETOWN, 24 June 2026– More than one thousand cartons of Amoxicillin 500mg capsules consigned to *Raayan Pharmaceuticals of Main Motor Road, Waterloo* have been seized at Water Quay Port after a joint enforcement team intercepted the shipment on Tuesday, raising immediate concerns about illegal importation and the safety of the drugs now sitting in detention.

The Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone (PBSL) led the operation alongside the National Revenue Authority, the Sierra Leone Police, the Ministry of Health, the Office of National Security, and the Port Authority. It is the kind of coordinated sweep that regulators say is increasingly necessary as illegal medicines continue to find their way into the country through commercial entry points.

Officers detained the Amoxicillin consignments arriving in five containers examined at the AGL Precinct — on suspicion that they entered the country without meeting the required import conditions. The drugs are being held while authorities go through the paperwork; import permits, registration certificates, storage records, and quality documentation to determine whether anything was in order.

None of that may exist. The seized products, the Board says, are not registered with PBSL. That is the central problem. Sierra Leone law bars any medicine from being imported, sold, or dispensed in this country unless the Board has first assessed it and placed it on the national medicines register. That process exists for one reason: to confirm, before a drug reaches a patient, that it is what it claims to be.

The Board is being blunt: it cannot guarantee the quality, safety, or efficacy of these capsules. No laboratory test was run on them before they arrived. They bypassed the registration process entirely. That means there is no independent verification that they contain the right active ingredient, at the right dose, produced under acceptable conditions or that they are safe at all.

The public is strongly urged not to buy medicines from unverified sources. Buy from licensed pharmacies, hospitals, and recognised health facilities. If you are unsure whether a medicine is registered, call the Pharmacy Board before you take it.

Tuesday’s operation is not an isolated event. The Board intends to keep working with security and revenue agencies to intercept illegal pharmaceutical shipments at the border — not after they have already reached market stalls and neighbourhood shops.

Anyone found to have brought these products into the country illegally will face the consequences under the law. The Board is also asking the public, pharmacists, and health workers to report suspicious pharmaceutical activity. Tips can be passed directly to the Pharmacy Board through the appropriate channels.

— ENDS —
Issued by: Information and Communications Department, Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone

🎂 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. JAMES KOMEH!Registrar, Pharmacy Board of Sierra LeoneToday, the Board, Management, and Staff of th...
25/05/2026

🎂 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. JAMES KOMEH!
Registrar, Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone
Today, the Board, Management, and Staff of the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone celebrate a true statesman and consummate professional — our distinguished Registrar, Dr. James Komeh, on his birthday.

Under Dr. Komeh's leadership, the Pharmacy Board has grown in stature and impact, protecting Sierra Leoneans from substandard medicines, championing responsible medicine use, and raising the standard of pharmaceutical governance across the nation. He is a leader who listens, deliberates wisely, and serves with unwavering integrity.

To a man who does not merely occupy his position but inhabits it with purpose and passion — we say thank you, Sir. You are deeply celebrated today and always.
May this birthday bring you excellent health, renewed strength, and every blessing you deserve. 🎉

From the Board, Management & Staff, Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone

The Board, Management, and Staff of the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone extend warm Independence Day greetings to His Exc...
27/04/2026

The Board, Management, and Staff of the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone extend warm Independence Day greetings to His Excellency the President, Rtd. Brigadier Dr. Julius Maada Bio, the Honourable Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, and the entire people of Sierra Leone.

Pharmacy Board holds first quarter Regional Ad-hoc Task Force meetings in Southern and Eastern RegionsBo/Kenema, 16–17 A...
18/04/2026

Pharmacy Board holds first quarter Regional Ad-hoc Task Force meetings in Southern and Eastern Regions

Bo/Kenema, 16–17 April, 2026— The Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone (PBSL) has successfully convened its first quarter Regional Ad-hoc Task Force meetings in the Southern and Eastern Regions, holding separate sessions in Bo on 16 April and in Kenema on 17 April 2026. The meetings brought together key stakeholders from both regions to review progress, address emerging challenges, and strengthen collaboration in medicines regulation.

The Regional Ad-hoc Task Force was established to extend the Board’s regulatory reach beyond its Freetown headquarters into all four regions of the country. It serves as a critical bridge between the Board and local communities, enabling timely intelligence gathering, coordinated enforcement action, and broad-based sensitisation on pharmaceutical governance matters.

The Task Force’s mandate includes monitoring illegal drug peddling, enforcing pharmaceutical regulations at the local level, facilitating the creation of chiefdom bye-laws against drug peddling, and fostering collaboration between the Board, law enforcement agencies, traditional rulers, and local governance structures.

Its multi-sectoral membership comprises Paramount Chiefs, Chief Administrators, Magistrates, Local Unit Commanders of the Sierra Leone Police Force, District Pharmacists, District Medical Officers, and other key stakeholders. The Task Force operates in Kono and the regional headquarters towns of Bo, Kenema, and Makeni, meeting quarterly to assess pharmaceutical regulation and adopt new Board strategies.

At both sessions, minutes of previous meetings were read and adopted, and action points assigned to designated individuals. The Registrar, Dr. James Peter Komeh, reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to ensuring only safe, efficacious, and quality-assured medicines circulate in Sierra Leone. He highlighted the continued threat posed by Tramadol abuse and the illicit substance Kush.

The Officers in Charge for both regions provided updates on licensed premises, recent enforcement operations, and field challenges including delayed licence renewals and non-compliance by some operators. Members called for stronger implementation of the MoU with the Sierra Leone Police Force, acceleration of chiefdom bye-laws, and closer community engagement to combat pharmaceutical crime at the grassroots level.

The successful convening of these meetings reaffirms PBSL’s commitment to inclusive, region-wide pharmaceutical governance — a shared responsibility requiring the collective efforts of government, law enforcement, traditional authorities, and communities alike.

For more information:
Information and Communications Department
Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone (PBSL)

PUBLIC NOTICE
15/04/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Pharmacy Board engages Traditional Leaders in Port Loko District on Bye-Law against drug peddling9 April, 2026 The Pharm...
10/04/2026

Pharmacy Board engages Traditional Leaders in Port Loko District on Bye-Law against drug peddling

9 April, 2026
The Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone (PBSL) has stepped up its nationwide campaign against drug peddling, engaging traditional authorities in Port Loko District to replicate the successful bye-law model introduced in Nongowa Chiefdom.

At two separate engagements with stakeholders from Maforki and Bakeh-Loko Chiefdoms, paramount chiefs and local leaders expressed strong commitment to drafting similar bye-laws and forwarding them to the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone for review.

Addressing the gatherings, the Deputy Registrar of the PBSL, Dr Mohamed Sesay underscored the institution’s responsibility to regulate medicines and protect public health.

He emphasized that while government support is crucial, the role of citizens and local authorities is equally important in ensuring safe drug practices.

He raised alarm over the activities of drug peddlers, describing them as individuals driven by profit who often mishandle medicines by exposing them to harsh conditions such as direct sunlight.

According to him, such practices can render medicines harmful, turning what should heal into potential poison.
Despite sustained enforcement efforts, he noted that drug peddling remains a major challenge, prompting the Board to collaborate more closely with traditional leaders.

He pointed to the Nongowa Chiefdom initiative as a successful pilot, where locally developed bye-laws have helped curb the menace.

Adding to this, Pharmacist Tamba Buffa, Head of the Distribution Chain Inspection Department, recalled earlier engagements in Kenema District, including the crackdown on illegal drugs such as tramadol.

He explained that the idea of bye-laws originated from local chiefs themselves and was strengthened through broad stakeholder consultations, public sensitization campaigns, and street rallies.

Stakeholders in Port Loko welcomed the initiative, acknowledging the growing threat of drug peddling within their communities.

Speaking on behalf of her husband, Paramount Chief Bai Forki Fainka II of Maforki Chiefdom, Mrs. Foki Fainka II who has over 19 years of medical experience in the United States expressed concern over the widespread sale of unregulated medicines, particularly by unqualified individuals.

She noted that many of these peddlers lack even basic education, yet sell drugs while making false claims about their effectiveness.

She recounted instances where such individuals misled community members, only to plead for leniency when confronted by authorities.

Mrs. Fainka further disclosed that her Chiefdom had already taken steps to address the issue by engaging section chiefs and raising awareness on the dangers of drug peddling.

She assured the Pharmacy Board of their full support, stating that existing communication structures within the Chiefdom would make it easier to educate communities and enforce the proposed bye-laws.

She also raised concern about the rapid increase in unregulated drug outlets and the common practice of purchasing medicines without prescriptions.

Echoing similar sentiments, Paramount Chief Adikali Melba Opapa III of Bakeh-Loko Chiefdom described drug peddling as a serious threat to public health and pledged support for the initiative.

Reinforcing the urgency of the situation, the Deputy Registrar warned that the misuse of medicines could be even more dangerous than commonly discussed substances, stressing that “the difference between medicine and poison is the dose.”

He emphasized that while the Pharmacy Board has the legal mandate, meaningful success can only be achieved through collaboration with local authorities.

He encouraged the chiefdoms to take ownership of the process by developing their own bye-laws, assuring them of the Board’s technical support in implementation. In the meantime, he granted local authorities the backing to take action against individuals selling medicines in unauthorized places such as markets, vehicles, and open spaces.

With both chiefdoms agreeing to draft and submit their bye-laws, the initiative marks a growing grassroots response to drug peddling.

In attendance was the Officer in Charge of PBSL Office in the Northern Region, Pharmaciest Sulaiman Kanu and his deputy.

The Pharmacy Board hopes that replicating the Nongowa model across the country will significantly reduce the circulation of unsafe medicines and protect communities from preventable harm.

For more information:
Information and Communication Department
PBSL

Pharmacy Board and Police embark on joint drug-control sensitisation drive across Kailahun DistrictOfficials from the Ph...
01/04/2026

Pharmacy Board and Police embark on joint drug-control sensitisation drive across Kailahun District

Officials from the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone, in a coordinated effort with the Sierra Leone Police Force, have concluded a comprehensive sensitisation exercise across Kailahun District in the Eastern Province, covering six administrative divisions in a bid to educate local authorities, community leaders, and law-enforcement personnel on the terms of a recently formalised Memorandum of Understanding governing drug control, the suppression of drug peddling, and the enforcement of applicable bye-laws within the district.

The exercise, which spanned the Segbwema, Daru, Pendembu, Kailahun, Bouedu, and Koindu Divisions, formed part of a broader institutional effort to embed the provisions of the MOU at the grassroots level — ensuring that officers stationed in remote border and interior areas are fully conversant with their mandates, the legal framework underpinning joint enforcement, and the specific bye-laws applicable to the district.
DIVISIONS COVERED IN THE EXERCISE
▸ Segbwema Division
▸ Daru Division
▸ Pendembu Division
▸ Kailahun Division
▸ Bouedu Division
▸ Koindu Division
The MOU, entered into between the Pharmacy Board and the Sierra Leone Police Force, establishes a formal inter-agency framework for the joint regulation of pharmaceutical products, the identification and prosecution of illegal drug peddlers, and the enforcement of district-level bye-laws targeting the unlicensed trade in controlled and prescription medicines. The familiarisation exercise was designed to translate these institutional commitments into on-the-ground operational knowledge for personnel deployed across Kailahun's geographically dispersed communities.

"Enforcement without understanding is no enforcement at all — these communities deserve officers and regulators who know the law they are upholding."

Kailahun District, which shares an international border with both Guinea and Liberia, has long been identified as a vulnerable corridor for the illicit movement of pharmaceutical products, including prescription-only medicines and controlled substances that circulate informally across border markets. The district's six divisions — spanning densely forested interior chiefdoms and border trading towns — present particular regulatory challenges, and the joint sensitisation exercise was calibrated to address the distinct enforcement contexts of each area visited.

In Segbwema and Daru — towns with established market infrastructure — participants were briefed on the identification of unlicensed pharmaceutical vendors and the procedures for reporting and seizure under the MOU framework. In the border divisions of Bouedu and Koindu, emphasis was placed on cross-border trafficking patterns and the bye-laws governing the importation and sale of medicines at informal entry points. Pendembu and Kailahun town, as divisional administrative centres, received detailed briefings on record-keeping obligations, inter-agency communication protocols, and the referral of prosecutorial matters to the appropriate authorities.

Pictorial evidence of the visits was documented throughout the exercise, providing an institutional record of the geographic reach of the sensitisation drive and the communities and personnel engaged.

The initiative is broadly regarded as a significant step toward harmonising drug regulation and policing in a district that has historically operated with limited institutional oversight of pharmaceutical distribution. By anchoring the MOU's provisions within a structured familiarisation exercise, both the Pharmacy Board and the Sierra Leone Police signal a shared commitment to rule-based, community-informed enforcement — one that respects local bye-laws while meeting national regulatory standards.

Stakeholders have expressed cautious optimism that the exercise will yield measurable improvements in drug-control outcomes across Kailahun District, particularly in reducing the availability of unregulated medicines in informal markets and enhancing inter-agency cooperation at the divisional level. Further monitoring and follow-up engagements are anticipated as the MOU enters its operational phase.

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